The IGC Weekly Newsletter, Dec. 15, 2011

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The #OccupyPortland Interfaith Guild of Chaplains

serving all #Occupy movements in the greater Portland/Vancouver metro region

Twitter | Facebook | IRC Newnet #opdxigc | http://chaplainsoccupypdx.blogspot.com

From Sarah:

Mic check!  Wow, this past week has been freezing, and we have 10 days until Christmas.  In just over two weeks, the year 2011 is over.  This has been one of the most exciting years so far in my life.  As we conclude 2011, we are doing two major events: the Interfaith Winter Solstice Peace-In, and #OccupyChristmasPDX.  As a chaplaincy group, our main job is to support the movement by supporting the Occupiers.  In this sense, we are always in the background.  In #OccupyPortland we work closely with the Faith & Spirit Caucus, which is more geared towards faith-based political and social actions, and the IGC is represented by the FSC to the Spokes Council and we send one rotating delegate to the Spokes Council to vote with the FSC.  As I write, there is some talk that #OccupyGresham and #OccupyHillsboro are soon being launched; we hope a good deal of solidarity and collaboration with the Gresham and Washington County people as well.  This could potentially be good for some of the IGC's membership -- as we are a scattered group and we live anywhere between Vancouver, Washington and Tigard, Oregon.  If any of you who are reading this from #OccupyVanWA -- please contact me and let me know what is happening.  We have a couple of active chaplains who live in your world.

And we are still looking for a place or places to host the #OccupyChristmasPDX.  This will be much like the successful #OccupyThanksgivingPDX last month, except that it is all day long and is hoped to be indoors (due to obvious weather-related reasons) instead.  If anyone who has a garage or similar kind of structure in the back of their house, that might work very well.  Also, we are considering a possibility of instead pitching tents on a parking lot, a backyard or a farm, as it is highly unlikely that the city would be enforcing any building code on Christmas holiday.  Time is of essence now, and we also invite Occupiers from various committees, affinity groups and caucuses to join us in making this event happen.  We believe that this is an important justice matter for some of our fellow Occupiers who live outside and/or without family, as there is virtually nothing open on Christmas Day and they should not be left outside with nothing to eat or nothing to do.  In this supposedly the richest country on earth, celebrating Christmas should not be a privilege.

I may be contacted online at http://iriscat.weebly.com/contact-sarah.html or on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, and Diaspora.

The City Hall 24/7 Occupy Prayer Vigil needs you!
The IGC now officially endorses the around-the-clock prayer vigil in front of the Portland City Hall for the repeal of the anti-camping ordinance.  As this vigil has entered its third week, it needs more people to get involved.  Use the online scheduler at http://cityhalloccupyvigil.wikispaces.com.

• The vigil Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/150126691758500/
• The vigil Twitter: http://twitter.com/OccuPdx4_PV

Upcoming Events

• Winter Solstice Peace-In (1): Wednesday, Dec. 21, 9-9:30 p.m. in front of the City Hall
• Winter Solstice Peace-In (2): Thursday, Dec. 22, 5-5:30 p.m. at Director Park
• #OccupyChristmasPDX: Sunday, Dec. 25
• No weekly planning meetings on Thursday, Dec. 22 and 29.  Regular meetings resume on Thursday, Jan. 5.

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